The Precious Rose
by ranpyon13
Summary: -DISCONTINUED- As the heir of Orb Emperor, Cagalli and Kira’s duty are to protect their family treasure, The Precious Rose, after their father’s death. She never knew that she fall for the rebel leader’s son while her brother attracted to a geisha.
1. 01 Unexpected Turn of Event

**A/N**: Another fic from me that I wrote when I still in my senior high school (2 years ago and I didn't know FF yet). Set on Japanese era (sort of) and put I some of Japanese legends (I love legends). Sorry for grammar mistakes and OOC-ness.

**Summary:** As the heir of Orb Emperor, Cagalli and Kira's duty are to protect their family treasure, The Precious Rose after their father's death. She never knew that she fall for the rebel leader's son while her brother attracted to a geisha. AxC, KxL

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny...

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**Chapter 1: Unexpected Turn of Event**

"I don't want to wear that!" a blond haired girl said at one of her maids that tried to make her wear a pink kimono.

"Cagalli-sama, Via-sama wants you to wear this. This will be a special occasion," the maid named Merna said.

"I know that today is Kira's engagement party, but I don't want to wear that pink kimono! Give me another color and please, not pink!" she exclaimed.

Merna sighed. There was no way for her to make her mistress wear the kimono, so she put it inside the drawer. "Then, I will talk to Via-sama to choose another kimono for you. Please excuse me, Cagalli-sama." Merna retreated from Cagalli's room.

Cagalli Hibiki, 18 years old, was the daughter of the emperor of Orb, Ulen Hibiki. She has a twin brother named Kira Hibiki. Despite the fact that they were twins, they had some differences, except for the facial face. Cagalli has blond hair and amber orbs with a hot headed personality, just like their father, Ulen Hibiki while Kira has brown hair and lavender orbs with the same gentleness like their mother, Via Hibiki.

Although she was the princess of Orb, she didn't like another noble woman. She prefers to ride a horse and train some swordplay than to dress up and put a thick make up on her face.

Cagalli waited for her mother to come. Today was a special occasion for Kira because he would be engaged with Flay Allster, the daughter of the vice minister of Orb, George Allster.

She sighed. Truth to be told, she didn't like Kira's engagement with Flay. It's not that she hated her soon to be sister-in-law, somehow she thought that her brother deserved someone better than that the spoilt and annoying girl.

There was a knock on her door followed by Merna's voice,"Cagalli-sama, Via-sama is here."

"Come in."

The door slid open. Merna along with a beautiful brunette woman came inside Cagalli's room. The woman's brown hair tied up with some hair decoration. Cagalli quickly bowed down. "Good afternoon, Mother."

"Get up, Cagalli," Via said gently. She looked at Cagalli with her amethyst orbs. "Merna said that you refused to wear the kimono?"

"Mom, you know that I'm not the type of girl who fond of that girly color. Pick me other color except pink and I promise I'll wear it," Cagalli replied.

"Well," Via looked over Cagalli's drawer and pulled a green kimono. "It's not too girly and it's nice. Would you like to try it? Believe me; you'll look nice with this. "

Cagalli observed the kimono carefully and nodded. "Okay, I'll wear that."

Via smiled. "Now Merna, please help Cagalli to wear her kimono. The party will begin in two hours. I want to look up at my son."

Merna nodded. "Yes, Via-sama."

"You must wear another green colored kimono, my dear. You fit with the color. Maybe, after your engagement with Yuuna-san," Via said.

Cagalli frowned at the name. Sure, she was betrothed with a young nobleman from Seiran family named Yuuna Roma Seiran since she was still an infant, yet she always felt uncomfortable near the man.

"Why our marriage must be arranged?" Cagalli said, referring to her and Kira's engagement.

Via surprised at Cagalli's question, but she managed to give her daughter a smiled. "It was our family law, Cagalli. Me too, was betrothed to your father since we were still kids. The elder wants us to get the best person for the family lineage. Although, I think it would be better if you choose it by yourself."

"I see. I still didn't understand why we must hold the party despite that we are already engaged."

Via stroked Cagalli's blond hair. "Let just say, to make it official and to introduce the two of you as the heir of the emperor to the nobles. Don't worry, dear, you will get used of it. Now, I want to visit Kira before the party."

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Kira Yamato sat down inside his room. The sliding door that leads to the yard was opened widely making the wind played with his brown hair.

He looked at himself. He wore a light blue hakama made from silk and wrapped by a dark blue royal robe. His engagement party would start in two hour. He should be happy and proud to be engaged with a very attractive and talented woman like Fllay.

But he is not.

He knew her. He learnt so many things about her since he knew that he was engaged with her. Her red, bloodlike hair, the grey orbs that held so many secrets from him, and her beautiful face that always show a fake yet sly smile.

He knew she's up to something. Nevertheless, he can't do anything. Being an obedient child, he always obeyed what his parents want. He can't easily call off the engagement with her.

A voice of his mother quickly broke his trance. "You look so deep in thought, my dear," Via said, sitting in front of him.

"I just thinking about… my engagement," his voice was gentle, just as Via's. "What about Cagalli, Mother?"

"She refused to wear the pink kimono that I choose for her," she replied and smiled afterward. "Then she agreed to wear my other choice."

Kira smiled. Via knew something was wrong with her son, just as her daughter. "You and Cagalli are acting weird today. Is something wrong?"

"Really?" he asked. They are twins after all, so something like acting weird at the same time or thinking the same think wasn't a rare thing. "Believe me, Mother. Nothing wrong with us."

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The party held in a cottage on the emperor's palace that surrounded by the blooming cherry blossom trees. That afternoon, a lot of noble families attended the party, including Cagalli's fiancé's family, the Seiran. Ulen Hibiki, George Allster, and Unato Ema Seiran –Yuuna's father- told each other that they were happy to be a family.

Meanwhile, Kira's fiancée, Flay Allster, proudly showed the guests her ability to play the instrument, _koto_*. From the corner of Cagalli's eyes, she can saw Flay giving her a sly smile. Cagalli just shrugged it off.

After some time, Cagalli decided to go to the balcony to get some fresh air.

"What do you think about my music, Cagalli-sama?" Cagalli heard Flay's sound from her back. She turned around to see the red headed girl smirked at her.

"I'm sorry, Flay-san, truthfully I didn't enjoy your music," Cagalli said calmly.

Flay put a hand over her mouth. "Really? Even Kira-sama told me that he enjoyed it very much," she replied.

Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "My brother said that? I thought he just get some trouble on his sense of hearing."

"What about yourself, Cagalli-sama? Have you ever played koto before?" she asked. Before Cagalli could answer, she said, "Oh, how fool of me. Of course you haven't. I heard that instead of learning to play it, you rather learning to ride a horse. Maybe I would make a better princess than you when I marry Kira-sama," she continued in mocking tone.

"Whatever you say, Flay-san," Cagalli replied. "But, I doubt the people of Orb would love you with that manner."

Flay pouted and leave Cagalli. Cagalli sighed in relief. "If she wasn't the minister's daughter, I have already slapped her."

Cagalli continued gazing at the sky while a purple haired man headed towards her direction. "Cagalli-san."

She sighed and turned around again for the second time to face her fiancée, Yuuna Roma Seiran. "Yuuna-san? What are you doing here?"

"I want to accompany you here. Is there any problem with that?" he asked politely.

"_That is a problem. I don't want to see your face! I hate you, grape head! "_ she thought, hoping that she can say that in front of Yuuna. However, as the princess of Orb, she must watch over every word she spoke. "No, there isn't."

Yuuna stood next to Cagalli. "Are you thinking about our marriage?"

"Pardon?"

Yuuna chuckled. "Our marriage."

"Oh… yes, sort of," Cagalli lied.

"Isn't your brother's engagement making you jealous? He looks very happy today."

Cagalli smiled weakly. "_It is me that heard a wrong thing or Yuuna who was too blind to see that Kira is not that happy!? Everyone can see that!"_

Not far from her place, she can saw Kira standing alone. Finding a chance to escape from any conversation that Yuuna had on his mind with her, Cagalli quickly said, "Yuuna-san, I'm sorry, I would like to have some talk with my brother. Please excuse me," Cagalli excused before Yuuna can react and walked toward Kira.

Kira gazed his lavender orbs to the sky when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.

"You must be happy at your own party, Kira," Cagalli spoke. "Although I'm not really sure if you are happy to betrothed to that _Shikome*_."

Kira chuckled. "Shikome? She's not that ugly you know."

"I know. For me, she looks like one. Why don't you break this engagement? She is cheating on you," Cagalli asked.

He shook his head. "How much I want to do that, I don't have the right to do that."

A long silence fell upon the twins, before Kira cleared his throat, "How about you, Cagalli? It is very obvious to me that you don't like Yuuna-san."

"I…," she hesitated. "I don't know. I never caught him cheating on me like Flay did to you. So, I don't think to call it off."

"I see."

The sun was covered by some dark clouds. The winds blew rather hard and swayed the cherry blossoms petal one by one.

"A storm is coming," Cagalli murmured.

"How'd you know? Are you an oracle or something?"

She hit Kira on the head and he quickly rubbed it. "Can you see the sky, idiot!? What are you doing here then if you're not looking at the sky!?"

"Umm… daydreaming?" Kira shrugged his shoulder.

"You have many things to do in your life than just to daydream," Cagalli said.

"It's weird to hear you say something like that. Not like the Cagalli I know. Mother's right, you're acting weird."

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That night, Cagalli can't sleep well. She got some bad thought about something she didn't understand. She just slept for an hour when she felt a heavy smoke came from outside her room. She got up and put her robe. Before opening the door, she heard a voice of a big explosion and people started screaming. She slid the door and walked out.

Cagalli covered half of her face using her robe sleeves and headed to the main room. The thick smoke made her way a little difficult; nevertheless, she managed to arrive at a familiar corridor.

"Cagalli?" a voice of his brother made her turned around. Kira brought his sword in case he needed it.

"Kira, what happen?"

Another explosion heard and Kira took Cagalli's hand with him. "I don't know. We must go to the main room now!"

He led their way to the main room. They saw some servants panicked and tried to escape from the castle.

"Kira-sama, Cagalli-sama!" Merna's voice echoed through the corridor.

"Merna-san! Are you okay?" Cagalli asked worriedly.

The maid nodded. "I've been looking for you. There isn't any save place here."

The castle had been half destroyed by the explosions. Some of the building was burnt down and became ashes. "Where is our parent?" Kira asked.

"Mwu-san will explain to you later. He has been waiting for you outside. Hurry!" Merna said. After hesitating a bit, the twins followed Merna to a secret passage of the castle. There stood a blond haired man in the age of 27.

They approached him. He looked at Kira, Cagalli, and Merna then sighed in relief. "I'm glad that you make it here safely."

"Mwu-san, what happen here?" Kira asked impatiently.

"We've got some problem, kid. A revolt against the emperor," Mwu replied.

"Revolt!?" Cagalli burst out. "In the time like this!? Kira has just engaged!"

Kira put a comforting hand on his twin's shoulder. "Calm down, Cagalli," he said then shifting his lavender orbs to Mwu. "Where is our parent?"

Mwu bowed his head down. "Your mother is wounded but not fatal. The soldiers had brought her to a safer place along with some maids. And your father…," he took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice, "he is killed."

Cagalli's eyes widened in shock. "I-Impossible… He can't be… You must be lying!" She dropped on her knees and cried. Merna circled her arm around Cagalli's shoulder and tried her best to comfort her mistress.

Kira was also in the same state but he can maintain himself. "Who dare to do this, Mwu-san?" his voice was firm.

"It's the Zala clan."

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*Koto: The koto is traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument derived from the Chinese zither. The koto is the national instrument of Japan. Koto is about 180 centimeters (71 inches) long and made from kiri wood. They have 13 strings that are strung over 13 movable bridges along the length of the instruments.

*Shikome (Yomotsu Shikome): 'Hags of Yomi', also known as Yomotsuhisame, considered as a personification of the pollution of death. It is depicted as a fierce and wild woman. When Izanagi fled from the Underworld (Yomi), Izanami sent Yomotsu Shikome to chase after him.

**A/N**: Please Review and tell me your opinion about this story. So, I can decide whether I should post the next chapter or not.

P.S: I have uploaded the illustration of Yomotsu Shikome to my blog. If you want to see it, you can go to my profile and pay a visit to my homepage.


	2. 02 Duty

**A/N: **My exam had just finished last week and I become lazy in holiday… Sorry for grammar mistakes and OOC-ness.

A big thank you for **MoonliteShadow101**, **Asereth**, **Hegodart**, **kazuko soranai**, **AsuCaga01**, **x. Midnight . Insanity .x**, and **PoeticDayDreams** for the reviews and those who put this fic into Story alert!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny…

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"He is killed."

Cagalli's eyes widened in shock. "I-Impossible… He can't be… You must be lying!" She dropped on her knees and cried. Merna circled her arm around Cagalli's shoulder and tried her best to comfort her mistress.

Kira was also in the same state but he can maintain himself. "Who dare to do this, Mwu-san?" his voice was firm.

"It's the Zala clan."

**Chapter 2: Duty**

"Zala?" Cagalli managed to ask between her sobs.

"I never heard that name before," Kira said, in the matter of fact.

Mwu crossed his arms. "Well, I have heard that name before… just once."

Another explosion erupted. Most of the palace building was engulfed with flame. "We should hurry!" Merna yelled.

"Kid, your horse is ready," Mwu shouted then gave two cloaks to both Kira and Cagalli. "Put on the cloak, they are searching for you. Kira, bring Cagalli with you!"

"What about the other?" Kira asked.

"Don't worry, I've asked Neo to take my place here. At least, until the two of you can escape from this place!"

Kira approached Cagalli and helped her stood up. "Are you okay?"

Cagalli rubbed her eyes. "I think I am."

"Let's go!" Kira said, led them to a white horse nearby. Fortunately, Cagalli wear pants, not kimono, so it's easier to her to get up to the horse.

She pulled up the cloak to cover her blond hair and her face, the same goes with Kira.

"Are you ready?" Her twin asked.

Looking back at the now half burnt castle, she silently nodded. Kira quickly rode the horse, heading to the wood, farther from their so called house.

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A pair of emerald eyes scanned through the room. He -the owner of that eyes- felt that someone watched him from afar, but quickly shrugged it off.

A pair of emerald eyes gazed at the dead body, the body of the Orb Emperor, Ulen Hibiki in front of him. On the owner of that eyes' his right hand, he held a bloodstained sword that he used to kill him.

"This is easier than I thought," he said with deep voice. He put his sword in its original place then he walked around the room, searching for the thing that he needed to find. He opened every wardrobe and wooden box in that room.

"Where is that thing?" he thought while opening an empty wooden box. "Not here."

"He has secured it somewhere."

After looking the room for a while, he decided to go away from that room and headed to where his leader waited for him.

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"Where are we going?" Cagalli looked at her brother intently. They had been riding their horse for about an hour and now they're inside a dark and creepy forest.

"I don't know, Cagalli. I just follow where Mwu goes," Kira replied.

Cagalli replied. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not really sure on what are we going to do after this whole scheme. At least, I'm sure that Zala is searching us. We must avoid anything that related to Zala."

They made up their way to an abandoned place outskirt the city. The place was quite secure, from what Mwu thought.

The twins got off of the horse when Merna approached them. "Via-sama is inside. She is resting now. You can come and meet her."

"Thank you, Merna-san," Cagalli said with a small smile on her face. They walked in to the small hut. Their mother was resting in the only room in that place, surrounded by some maids. Cagalli and Kira approached Via and bent down next to her bed.

"Can you please give us some privacy?" Kira asked to the maids. They nodded and walked out from the room.

He sighed and looked at his sister who took their mother's hand in hers. Via's eyes fluttered and she fixed her gaze to her children. She sat up with the help of Cagalli.

"Are you okay, Mother?" Cagalli asked with a slight tone of worry.

Via merely nodded and suddenly burst in tears.

"M-Mother, what happen?" Now it's Kira's turn to ask.

The brunette woman hugged her children while sobbing in happiness. "I'm glad that… you're okay… my children…"

"Sorry for making you worry, Mother," Kira said.

Via pulled back then glanced at Kira and Cagalli. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

The twins shook their head in unison while Via sighed in relief.

"Your father," Via started. "they killed him."

"We know that."

She then pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to both Kira and Cagalli. "This is what your father left before he ordered my ordered me to escape. He told me to give you this."

Kira took the paper and read it.

_Dear my children,_

_When the two of you read this, I already died right now. From now on, Kira will replace my place as the emperor of Orb. I've heard some issue about this revolt for a long time, yet I didn't know the exact time when they would did the attempt. The Zala just want one thing, our family treasure, the Precious Rose. As the heir of the Hibiki, it is your duty to retrieve the Precious Rose before they get it and do something we can't imagine._

_This will be my last wish for you, my children. I hope you a peaceful life._

Kira and Cagalli looked at each other after reading the paper.

"The Precious Rose…," Cagalli mumbled.

"Our family treasure that passed down through our lineage," Via explained.

"Father has told us about this before," Kira said, trying to remember the exact time.

There was a knock on the door. Via let the person came in and the door opened, revealing Mwu who bowed to the three of them.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you," Mwu spoke.

"It's okay. Is there anything wrong?" Via asked.

"Our soldiers succeed to save the palace, although half of it was destroyed. Zala's soldier still guarding the area though," the blond man explained.

"You have other information, don't you?" Cagalli asked, raising her eyebrow.

The blond man smiled slightly at the princess' sharpness. "You're right, hime. Our soldiers also found the Emperor."

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Not far from the emperor's palace, a group of people gathered, waiting for a certain blue haired man to come. The leader of the group, a middle aged man with a serious face stomped his foot impatiently.

"Where is he!?" he barked to one of the soldier who stood next to him. The soldier, a blonde haired man with violet orbs named Dearka Elthman startled a bit at the man.

"He will be arrive pretty soon, Patrick-sama," Dearka answered.

Patrick Zala frowned and crossed his arms. He observed the palace carefully. Without even glancing at the blonde, he said, "He went for an hour. He should be here by now. Was it a hard thing to kill the emperor?"

As if on cue, a man whose head wrapped by a cloth emerged. He quickly knelt down in front of Patrick. His emerald orbs fixed at the ground.

"I'm sorry for being late."

"Detach that thing off of your face," Patrick ordered. The man obeyed the order and detached the cloth that wrapped his head, revealing his midnight blue hair.

"What've you got?" Patrick said, heartlessly.

"Nothing's there. The Emperor didn't want to tell anything about Precious Rose. His children are nowhere to be found. It looks like he ordered them to retrieve Precious Rose before we found it," the bluenette explained monotonously.

Patrick put his hand under his chin and looked intently at the man before him as if trying to make sure that he's not lying to him. "Are you sure, Athrun?"

Athrun's face lit up as he looked straight at Patrick. "I'm very sure, Father."

The sky began to darken, signifying that it's going to be raining soon enough. The winds blew very hard, swaying every single leaves around them.

"They aren't going so far. It's going to be raining," Patrick murmured to himself and then looked at his son. "Find them, Athrun. This is your next task. Spy on them and after you know all the information about where that damn emperor hides the Precious Rose, just kill them. Understand?"

Athrun thought for a moment and nodded. "I'll make sure I won't take a long time to finish this."

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Via, Kira, Cagalli, Mwu, all the soldiers and maids gathered in front of a small grave that belong to Ulen Hibiki. They finished giving Ulen a proper funeral although now many people attend it.

"Who found him?" Cagalli asked, breaking the silence.

A soldier started to spoke, "It's me, hime."

She fixed her gaze towards the soldier. "Did you saw the person who kills him?"

"I didn't saw his face clearly, but he's Zala's soldier and he has emerald eyes."

"Emerald eyes?" she said then thought deeply.

After a long silence, the maids and soldiers leave from the site, until there only Via, Kira, Cagalli, and Merna.

"Via-sama," Merna started. "You must have some rest. Your wound isn't healed yet."

Taking a last glance at her husband's grave, Via nodded. She faced her children before going. "Kira, Cagalli, the two of you must have some rest, too."

Kira gave Via a reassuring smile while Cagalli just nodded silently. Via walked inside the hut followed by Merna. The twins' gaze still focused on the grave in front of them. Noticing that it's going to be raining soon, Kira tapped Cagalli's shoulder.

"We must go inside, Cagalli," Kira said.

Without turning at his brother, Cagalli said, "I know. I'll be here for a little while. Don't worry."

Kira sighed then silently walked in, leaving Cagalli alone.

Tears slowly streaked down from Cagalli's amber orbs. She can't bear losing her dear father, despite his strict act to her. She loved him; she loved him with all her heart. Now, she must live without him.

She knelt down in front of the grave, touching the exact place where Ulen's body buried. "I don't know what will I do, Father."

A booming sound of the thunder echoed. Rain slowly poured down to the earth, but Cagalli didn't budge from her place.

"Emerald eyes… Zala…," she whispered to herself. Her hand clenched into a tight fist and she spoke with determined voice, "I'll kill the person who dares to kill you. I'll avenge your death. I promise, Father."

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**A/N:** How is it? Bad or good? I'll try to put some of Japanese mythological creature on the future chapter. Please review and give your comment about this chapter. And, fell free to PM me anytime if you want to ask me anything or give suggestion about this fic! XD


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